County Championship Archives

Shakib Al Hasan admits ‘intentional chucking’ during County stint

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has admitted that he bowled with an illegal action during his County Championship stint with Surrey.

In September 2024, Shakib’s action was reported by the standing umpires while he was playing for Surrey in the County Championship match against Somerset.

Following that, Shakib completed an independent assessment at Loughborough University, which found that the elbow extension in his bowling action exceeded the 15-degree threshold as defined in the Regulations.

Now, the all-rounder has spilled the beans behind his illegal action and revealed the reason behind bowling with an illegal action.

“For Surrey I bowled more than 70 overs in the match, which I had never done before. I was very tired after bowling long [spells],” said Shakib while speaking on YouTube’s “Beard Before Wicket” podcast.

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“I think I deliberately bowled with some illegal action,” he continued

Shakib stated that he was considering issuing a warning; however, the umpire reported it in accordance with the law.

“I played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan. We won that series, and then I went to play those four-day matches. The only thing I was thinking the umpire could have done was just warn me first, at least. But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn’t complain,” he revealed.

The 38-year-old also recalled that he had gone to take the test but failed, and then he trained for a couple of weeks and returned to Surrey.

“I went to do the test, I failed. And then I saw my test. I was like, ‘okay, so these things are happening’.

Then I had to train for a couple of weeks, so I went back to Surrey again, and they were kind enough to help me. I did two sessions, and I was back to normal. I was like, ‘it’s so easy’,” Shakib concluded.

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WATCH: Mohammad Abbas, Ishan Kishan win hearts in County Championship

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas and India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan shared a heartwarming moment during Nottinghamshire’s County Championship clash against Yorkshire, drawing widespread admiration from fans across both countries.

The duo, currently playing together for Nottinghamshire, celebrated a wicket with a handshake and hug, a rare sight considering the long-standing on-field rivalry between Indian and Pakistani cricketers.

The moment came on the second day of the match when Abbas dismissed Yorkshire opener Adam Lyth for a duck.

The left-hander edged a delivery from Mohammad Abbas, which was safely pouched by Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.

The two cricketers then came together for a brief but emotional celebration, which was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media.

Nottinghamshire’s official social media handles shared the clip, which was widely praised by fans and cricket followers from both sides of the border.

“This is the true beauty of county cricket. I love and admire this game for moments like these,” commented a fan, Khawaja Naeem Akbar.

Another user wrote that seeing Abbas and Kishan playing together increased their respect for both players, while others described the moment as “special” and “beautiful.”

Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan impressed with the bat in Nottinghamshire’s first innings, scoring a fluent 87 off 98 deliveries, including one six and 12 fours.

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Mohammad Abbas, on the other hand, bowled an economical spell, finishing with figures of 1 for 19 from 10 overs, including four maidens.

It’s worth noting that more India-Pakistan pairings are expected later in the County Championship season, with India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad set to join Yorkshire in July.

Meanwhile, Pakistan batter Abdullah Shafique has also signed with the same franchise and is expected to feature in the tournament once his visa issues are resolved.

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Pakistan batter signs with Yorkshire for County Championship, Vitality Blast

Pakistan’s top-order batter Abdullah Shafique is set to feature in English county cricket after Yorkshire confirmed his signing as an overseas player for the ongoing season.

The 25-year-old will join the squad next week and is expected to be available for Yorkshire’s next two matches in the County Championship against Nottinghamshire and Surrey.

In addition to red-ball duties, Shafique will also be part of the Yorkshire squad for the remainder of the Vitality Blast group stage, featuring in the final four fixtures of the campaign.

The right-hander is coming off a strong Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 campaign, where he piled up 390 runs at an average of 32. He played a key hand in Lahore Qalandars’ title triumph, scoring a valuable 41 in the final.

“I’m immensely pleased to be afforded this opportunity with Yorkshire, and I’m eager to join up with the team ahead of a big game against Nottinghamshire,” said Abdullah Shafique.

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“Headingley is a venue I’ve always wanted to play at, and I’m excited to experience a Roses fixture, which I’ve already heard will have an incredible atmosphere.

“There is so much history at this club, and I hope I can contribute on the pitch at what is a very important period of the season.”

Yorkshire’s Men’s Head Coach Anthony McGrath welcomed the signing and praised the Pakistan international.

“Abdullah is another technically gifted, all-format player that we are delighted has signed with us,” McGrath said. “He has a tremendous skillset and has scored big runs at the highest level of the game.

“This is a really positive signing for us that will strengthen us greatly. We’re all looking forward to Abdullah joining up with the squad next week.”

READ: Former pacer questions Naseem Shah’s place in Pakistan white-ball team

County club calls ECB ‘stupid’ over ‘fat bat’ points deduction

Essex County Cricket Club blasted the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for deducting 12 County Championship points as one of their players used a bat ruled too wide.

Essex’s hopes of winning the County Championship have all but perished when one of their batters, Feroze Khushi, used a bat, whose dimension went against the MCC’s regulations, with Law 5.7.2 imposing that a bat’s width should be 10.8cm.

The issue arose in the second innings of Essex’s opening County Championship fixture against Nottinghamshire when on-field umpires Tom Lungley and Steve O’Shaughnessy, during a routine inspection, found out that Khushi’s bat got stuck in the measurement gauge.

Essex went on to win their campaign opener convincingly by 254 runs but has now been docked 12 points from the 20 that they secured from the victory.

The sanction means that Essex now trail defending champions and leaders Surrey by 56 points with just two rounds remaining.

The sanction was imposed by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC), which runs as a separate entity, independent of the ECB.

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But that did not prohibit former England captain and Essex Keith Fletcher from branding the ECB as “absolutely stupid”.

“Feroze does not believe he did anything wrong and the whole side has been penalised, not just the one player,” Fletcher told The Times.

“As a batsman I know that a few millimetres either way is not going to have any effect on performance. Umpires test bats at random and I think the ECB have been absolutely stupid.”

Notably, Essex lodged a formal appeal when the charge was raised by the CDC and in a 31-page judgment, the body acknowledged that some of the gauges used to measure Khushi’s bat “did not comply precisely with the specifications”.

Meanwhile, Feroze Khushi, in response to the sanction, said that he had trusted his bat manufacturing company to follow MCC’s regulations, adding he did not intend to use a “non-conforming bat” but was still reprimanded for his part in the negligence.

“Essex CCC regrets the outcome and, although disappointed with the appeal decision and subsequent sanctions, accepts the charges of the CDC panel,” a club statement said.

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English batter smashes second-fastest double-hundred in first-class cricket

Leicestershire batter Louis Kimber rewrote record books as he smashed the fastest double-century in the County Championship as well as the second-fastest in overall first-class cricket.

The 27-year-old batter played a historic 243-run knock in only 127 balls in the second innings of the County Championship Division Two match against Sussex in Hove. However, his innings came in a losing cause as Sussex registered a narrow 18-run victory.

During his innings, the right-handed batter shattered multiple records and destroyed England’s Test bowler Ollie Robinson, who conceded 43 runs in one over. This was the second-most expensive over in First-Class cricket history.

Louis Kimber hit Robinson for an overall five sixes, three of which came on no-balls, three fours and a single in the 59th over.

Kimber, who was batting at 72 off 56 balls before Robinson’s over, amassed an unbeaten 109 off just 65 balls at the conclusion of the over.

He continued his onslaught and completed his double-century in only 100 balls, breaking the record for the fastest double-century in the history of county cricket.

Kimber’s 100-ball double-century is only second to Afghanistan batter Shafiqullah, who reached the landmark in 89 balls back in 2018.

Fastest double-century in first-class cricket

Shafiqullah – 89 balls, Kabul Region vs Boost Region, 2018

Louis Kimber – 100 balls, Leicestershire vs Sussex, 2024

Tanmay Agarwal – 119 balls, Hyderabad vs Arunachal, 2024

Ravi Shastri – 123 balls, Bombay vs Baroda, 1985

Aneurin Donald – 123 balls, Glamorgan vs Derbyshire, 2016

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Kimber smashed 20 fours and 21 sixes on his way to 243, breaking the record for most sixes in an innings in the County Championship.

The record was previously held by current England Test captain Ben Stokes, who struck 17 sixes against Worcestershire in 2022.

The right-handed batter expressed his joy after the record-breaking innings, but he was a little disappointed to end up on the losing side.

“You don’t get many days like that in your career, it was unbelievable really,” Kimber told the ECB Reporters’ Network. “It’s just a shame we couldn’t get over the line but personally, you have to enjoy days like that. It was good fun.

“I just tried to be positive and see what happened. I got a bit of luck here and there but you need that. Most of the lads have told me to remember it because days like this don’t come around too often.

“My phone has been buzzing and the records I have broken are pretty cool. All the Sussex players congratulated me and told me I didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. They were very gracious and over four days probably deserved to win.

“I can’t remember hitting the ball as cleanly as I did today before. I got into a kind of weird zone when I wasn’t thinking too much except trying to hit the ball where I wanted to.”

READ: South Africa crush Afghanistan to reach T20 World Cup 2024 final

Hasan Ali reaches England to feature in County Championship

Pakistan pace bowler Hasan Ali has reached England to represent Warwickshire County Cricket Club in the upcoming season of the County Championship.

Hasan Ali’s contract was renewed ahead of the 2024 season after playing for Warwickshire and Birmingham Bears last year.

On his arrival at the Edgbaston Cricket Stadium, the right-arm pacer was warmly welcomed by the players and coaching staff of the Warwickshire team.

“I have reached my second home,” said Hasan Ali. “I was excited to be here and finally I am here.”

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The 29-year-old pacer shared his excitement to rejoin his teammates at Warwickshire before departing from Pakistan.

“Looking forward to joining my team Warwickshire for the county season. Here’s to a brilliant season together boys! Remember me in your prayers, everyone,” he posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

Looking forward to joining my team @warwickshireccc 🐻 for the county season. Here's to a brilliant season together boys! Remember me in your prayers everyone 🫶🏼#YouBears pic.twitter.com/LtAPbfORAL

— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) April 12, 2024

Hasan Ali took 33 wickets across formats in his first season at Warwickshire last year.

Prior to that, he represented Lancashire in the previous edition of the County Championship and took 25 wickets at 20.60 in his debut season.

He has played 24 Tests, 66 ODIs and 50 T20Is for Pakistan, picking a total of 240 wickets across three formats.

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Mir Hamza roped in by Glamorgan for County Championship

Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Mir Hamza on Friday, was signed by Glamorgan as their overseas signing for the upcoming County Championship 2024.

Upon his recently signed contract with Glamorgan, Mir Hamza will be available for the opening seven fixtures of the County Championship, poised to run from April 5 to September 29.

🗞️ 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🗞️

Glamorgan are delighted to announce that Pakistan International seamer Mir Hamza has signed as an overseas player for the beginning of the 2⃣0⃣2⃣4⃣ season. 😍🔥🏏

Read more 👇#OhGlammyGlammy

— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) March 1, 2024

Hamza has represented Pakistan in five Tests, boasting the best bowling figures of 4/32 which came in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in 2023.

In his budding Test career, Hamza has taken nine wickets at an average of 45.

The left-arm pacer has vast experience in first-class cricket, having picked 434 wickets in just 110 matches at a brilliant average of just over 22.

Mir Hamza has an equally impressive record in T20 cricket, picking up 58 wickets at an average of 29 and the best bowling figures of 4/9.

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Commenting on his signing, Hamza expressed his excitement to represent Glamorgan and to work with his former national team head coach Grant Bradburn.

“I am thrilled to be joining Glamorgan for the County Championship this summer,” Hamza said.

“It will be exciting to work with Grant again after working with him with Pakistan, and I can’t wait to join up with the squad, get to training and help this great Club push for a positive start to the season.

“I have heard many great things about Cardiff from my teammates who played there last summer and look forward to meeting all of the supporters.”

Glamorgan head coach Bradburn welcomed Hamza’s addition and expects that the left-arm pacer would add more value to the side.

“As Coach, I am excited for our group to add such an experienced performer in Mir Hamza.

“Having worked with Mir previously in Pakistan, I have full confidence that Mir will add huge value to our team both on and off the field.”

It is worth mentioning here that Mir Hamza is currently representing former champions Karachi Kings in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9.

The left-arm pacer has thus far picked six wickets in four outings for the Kings.

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Surrey win English County Championship

Surrey retained their English County Championship title on Thursday after Essex’s slim hopes ended due to a batting collapse against Northamptonshire.

A 20-point gap between the top two Division One teams heading into the final round of four-day fixtures meant Surrey required just five points to hold on to their crown.

Surrey have achieved the required points and will be crowned @CountyChamp Division One winners at the conclusion of our match!!! 🏆

🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/Mbhzc5MglQ

— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 28, 2023

Even with several England players such as Rory Burns, Dom Sibley and Ben Foakes in their line-up, they failed to take any batting bonus points against Hampshire.

That left the door slightly ajar for Essex, who needed to post a 400-plus score in 110 overs at Wantage Road to keep the title race alive.

But in response to Northamptonshire’s 369, Essex were all out for 211, former England captain Alastair Cook making just six, which meant they could no longer catch Surrey, who could celebrate their fifth championship crown since the turn of the century.

London-based Surrey are the first side to retain the County Championship title since Yorkshire, who won back-to-back crowns in 2014 and 2015.

Yorkshire have won the most titles outright with 33 while Surrey are their nearest challengers having secured their 21st.

Surrey assistant coach Jade Dernbach said it had been difficult for his players to focus on their own match, knowing the importance of events at Essex.

“With any Surrey team there is always an amount of responsibility and pressure that comes with being at the biggest county in the country,” he told the BBC.

“We knew that, having won the title last year, there would be teams hot on our heels trying to chase us. It wasn’t a case of just defending the title, it was a case of retaining it — and we always had that positive mindset.”

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Surrey register second-highest run chase in County Championship history

CANTERBURY: Surrey CCC on Wednesday, scripted history as the side pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in the County Championship history.

Surrey chased down 501 runs in their County Championship fixture against Kent, who left stunned by a five-wicket defeat.

Defending champions Surrey’s chase was just one run short of the all-time County Championship record held by Middlesex, who scored 502-6 in the fourth innings to beat Nottinghamshire in 1925.

But since the County Championship was divided into two divisions in 2000, it was a record chase, exceeding the 479-6 tallied by Somerset to defeat Yorkshire in 2009.

Opening batter Dom Sibley, Jamie Smith and Ben Foakes all stood up for Surrey and made significant contributions by scoring magnificent centuries.

Sibley, however, remained their hero of the moment as he batted for a rigorous period of almost 10 hours and faced 415 deliveries on his way to a gritty 140 which featured 14 boundaries.

When Surrey were 91/2 in pursuit of 501, Sibley stitched a valiant 139-run partnership with Jamie Smith and anchored the run chase.

The third-wicket partnership remained heavily dominated by Smith as he decimated Kent bowlers with belligerent hitting.

He scored a quickfire 114 off 77 deliveries, laced up with 18 boundaries and four sixes before making his way back to the pavilion after India international Arshdeep Singh castled him.

Sibley then joined forces with wicketkeeper batter Ben Foakes and could only add 23 runs amid their fourth-wicket partnership at the closure of Day 3.

The pair of Sibley and Foakes resumed Surrey’s innings at 263/3 on the final day and stretched their partnership to 207 until Ben Foakes fell short when Surrey required a mere 64 runs to register an astounding triumph.

Foakes scored 124 off 211 deliveries with the help of 15 boundaries and two sixes.

Following his dismissal, Sibley then put on brief partnerships with Will Jacks (19) and Jordan Clark (26 not out) to complete a remarkable victory for Surrey.

Dom Sibley played a hard-fought knock of 140 runs and remained not out in the successful run chase for his side.

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Haider Ali scores maiden County Championship century

CHESTERFIELD: Pakistan’s right-handed batter Haider Ali scored a fighting century for Derbyshire in the ongoing County Championship 2023.

Haider Ali, who had a disappointing start to his County Championship and T20 Blast campaign, continued to regain his rhythm and backed to his absolute best in Derbyshire’s fixture against Yorkshire.

Derbyshire were in heaps of trouble when Haider Ali came out to bat. The side was four down for just 17 runs in the second innings while trailing a further 225 runs as they were bowled out for a skimpy 111 in the first innings while Yorkshire piled 353.

The top-order collapse gave Yorkshire a sniff on a comfortable victory, however, Haider Ali, alongside skipper Leus du Plooy soon spoiled their plans.

The pair of Haider and du Plooy frustrated Yorkshire bowlers and put on an astounding 231-run partnership for the fifth wicket with the Pakistan batter scoring his maiden century of his County Championship career.

Haider Ali scored at a brisk strike rate of 82 and scored a brilliant century. He scored 129 off 156 deliveries, smashing 21 boundaries and two sixes during the course of a magnificent century.

His opening partner Leus du Plooy, however, batted cautiously and was just four short of his well-deserved when the umpire called for the stumps.

Derbyshire skipper scored 96 not out off 166 deliveries, laced up with 14 boundaries.

The wonderful fifth-wicket partnership between Haider Ali and Leus du Plooy saved Derbyshire from an innings defeat as their 225-run stand put Mickey Arthur’s side into the lead.

Haider Ali and du Plooy will now resume Derbyshire’s second innings from 248/4 and will be hoping to stretch their overnight stand to further strengthen their side’s grasp on the match.

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